Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring East Gate opened for trial operation

August 1, Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring East Gate opened for trial operation, marking the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring infrastructure upgrade project has made substantial progress.
Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Infrastructure Enhancement Project is a strategic deployment of the provincial party committee and provincial government to build the Great Dunhuang Cultural Tourism Economic Circle, which is an important initiative to further promote the construction of the Great Dunhuang Cultural Tourism Economic Circle and accelerate regional integration and development. The total investment of the project is about 542 million yuan, the construction includes the east gate, west gate visitor center, restrooms and other service facilities, supporting green space, square, parking lot and drainage, electrical, heating, fire and other ancillary facilities, after the completion of the project, will greatly ease the pressure of the main entrance of the scenic area reception.

Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring is located 5 kilometers south of Dunhuang City, is the only 5A scenic spot in Jiuquan, is also one of the most important tourist destinations in Dunhuang. With the dramatic growth in the number of visitors to the geoarea in recent years, the original infrastructure such as the main entrance and parking lots have been unable to meet the needs of tourists. During the peak travel period, the traffic artery Dunyue Road traffic jam phenomenon is serious, the geoarea parking space in short supply, tourists can not enter, parking phenomenon occurs. In order to alleviate the pressure of reception during the peak tourism period, provide tourists with more quality services, allow tourists to enter the park quickly and enhance the visitor experience, in 2021, the geoarea in accordance with the requirements of the "Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Master Plan", began to build the East Gate and West Gate.
When the East Gate and West Gate are completed, they will form a new touring pattern that will greatly facilitate visitors. Tourists from the Mogao Grottoes tour, along the 314 provincial road, the landscape avenue can be through the scenic area East Gate fast parking ticket to enter the park; west line from the Yangguan and Yumen Pass tour tourists can be from the geoarea West Gate near the fast parking ticket to enter the geopark, reducing the time of tourists in the main entrance queue parking, queuing for tickets, queuing for ticket inspection, but also effectively reduce the main entrance reception pressure. This is the geoarea in response to the actual development of demand, but also to promote the development of Dunhuang tourism, enhance the service experience of tourists inevitable choice.

The construction of the east and west doors open not only the need to serve tourists, but also the requirements of the geoarea resource protection. The actual "Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Master Plan" stipulates that the planning structure of the geoarea is "internal viewing, edge rest, external service", and that the main tourist service facilities should be arranged outside the geoarea. At the same time, on the way to the core geoarea through the east and west gates, tourists can enjoy the rich natural landscape of Gobi, oasis and dunes, and experience a different desert style, which enhances the experience and comfort of tourists in the geoarea and reduces the ecological protection of the core scenic area by tourists. It is an effective protection measure for the non-renewable resource of Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring.
The opening of the East and West Gates not only lengthens the visitors' touring space, but also provides a broader recreation space for visitors. Fruits and specialties are available for visitors to choose from. The exhibition and performances at the convention center will provide visitors with a quality cultural experience. At the same time, the geoarea plans to develop tourism products along the feeder route in line with the characteristics of the geoarea, the current Ming Shan Ya Ji, hot air balloon sightseeing base has begun to operate, desert projection, stargazing base, research base, cultural and creative workshops and more than 50 projects in the further planning.

After the opening of the east gate of the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring for trial operation, the west gate will also be opened in the near future with the continuous improvement of infrastructure facilities. The completion and operation of the east and west gates will provide sufficient space for the layout of the new tourism industry in the geoarea, and a large scenic tour pattern will be fully formed with internal network, external ring, fast and slow, and beautiful environment.